Industry: On 'The Producer's Perspective' Ken Davenport Sheds Some Light on the Acting Side of the Theatre Business with Danny Burstein

I call myself an a$$hole in this podcast episode.

Why?

Because in my desire to put a spotlight on the business of Broadway, and give you a peek into the professions who aren't always front and center, from Writers to Producers to Lighting Designers and more, I have been prejudiced against one of our most important professions.

The Actor.

It's easy to think of the Actor as just an interpreter of drama, especially since in many cases (like I just talked about in my Facebook Live video at Gettin' The Band Back Together auditions this week), they are the last ingredients added to the show.

I wanted an Actor to shed some light on the influence a performer can have on a play or a musical, and I couldn't have asked for anyone more perfect to play this role on my podcast than six-time Tony Award nominee Danny Burstein.

Listen to the episode here:

Listen to it on iTunes here. (And if you like the podcast, give it a great review, while you're there!)

During our chat, Danny gave me some insight into his process and where Actors fit into the development of shows as well as . . .

- The difficult decision of turning down big-time Broadway chorus roles, because he never wanted to be in the chorus, even though he needed the $.
- Why he reads scripts 50-100 times before rehearsals begin.
- When Writers and Directors should listen to Actors and why.
- How to get Danny to do your show.
- Why he thinks of himself like a Plumber.

When you watch Danny perform, like I've been lucky enough to do in show after show over the last few decades, you notice two things right away . . .

1 - This guy can act.

2 - This guy loves what he does almost as much as audiences love watching him.

Listen in. His passion will come through your headphones, and straight into your heart.

Enjoy.

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About Ken Davenport: He is a Tony Award-winning producer of Broadway and Off Broadway shows, including currently the Broadway revival of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, as well as recently GROUNDHOG DAY: THE MUSICAL, Deaf West's SPRING AWAKENING, and THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, as well as the upcoming the original musical GETTIN' THE BAND BACK TOGETHER.

Davenport has revolutionized the Broadway market with his diverse approaches at engaging audiences through his shows, as well as supported the Broadway ecosystem through a number of his own subsidiary businesses. He is an internationally recognized and award-winning writer of several Broadway and Off Broadway shows as well as several books about producing, Broadway investing, and how to raise money for shows. Additionally, he is the Executive Producer for North America for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group.

Besides producing his own projects, Ken has been an Executive Producer and Consultant on many other Broadway and Off Broadway projects. If you are interested in inquiring about his services, please click here.

You can connect with Ken:
On his blog: The Producer's Perspective
On Twitter: @kendavenport
On Facebook: KenDavenport
Training Series: The Producer's Perspective Pro

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